The Puma, or "plume mapper," autonomous underwater vehicle uses sonar, lasers, and chemical sensors to search wide areas near the ocean floor to detect hydrothermal vent plumes. Image courtesy Hanumant Singh, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

A team of scientists is heading toward the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean, hunting for hydrothermal vents on the Arctic sea floor. The researchers, based at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, are on a six-week voyage and are using two new autonomous undersea vehicles to try to explore the world under the Arctic ice Join Ira and guests in this hour of Science Friday as we check in with the expedition, live from onboard a ship in the Arctic, and find out what the expedition is looking for -- and what they're finding.

We'll also hear about new research into Arctic ecosystems on land. Research published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says that some Arctic ponds are drying up -- despite evidence to suggest that those ponds have been wet for thousands of years. The shallow ponds found in the high Arctic are important ecosystems, freezing solid in the winter but teeming with life during the summertime. Researchers believe the drying of the ponds may be due to global climate change. We'll talk about it.

Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Camp pond has completely dried up. (July 12, 2006) Image courtesy University of Alberta.

Guests:
Rob Reves-Sohn
Chief Scientist, Arctic Seafloor Expedition 2007
Associate Scientist, Geology & Geophysics Department
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Tim Shank
Lead Biologist, Arctic Seafloor Expedition 2007
Associate Scientist, Biology Department
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Jeffrey Seewald
Associate Scientist, Department of Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

********************

John Smol
Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change
Director, Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab
Professor, Department of Biology
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Books/Articles Discussed:

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

Search by keywords:

This segment produced by Karin Vergoth